Letter to <persName ref="#Talfourd_Thos">Thomas Noon Talfourd</persName>, <date when="1821-04-19">April 19, 1821</date>. Mary Russell Mitford Samantha Webb Mary Russell Mitford Society: Digital Mitford Project University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center Elisa Beshero-Bondar Transcription and coding by Samantha Webb First digital edition in TEI, date: 2016-09-01. P5. Edition made with help from photos taken by Digital Mitford editors Digital Mitford photo files: 1821-04-19-[Talfourd].PDF Digital Mitford: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive Greensburg, PA, USA 2013

Reproduced by courtesy of the Reading Central Library.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Digital Mitford Letters: The Mary Russell Mitford Archive Reading Central Library Collected in a ringed binder in Reading Central Library. 1821-04-19-[Talfourd].PDF Letter from Mary Russell Mitford to Thomas Noon Talfourd, April 19, 1821.

One folio sheet of paper, with correspondence on recto and verso 1-4. This is a partial letter, as the correspondence at end of page 4 ends abruptly, and no address or postal markings appear. The pages are folded in half lengthwise, in half width-wise, and again in thirds for posting.

No address, postmarks, or fees recorded.

Slight fraying and darkening of page edges, along with some fading ink at page edges, and darkening of page 5.

Seal absent.

 Someone, apparently other than Mitford, perhaps cataloging letters and describing them, who left grey pencil marks and numbered her letters now in the Reading Central Library's collection. This letter is numbered 2 on the top center of the first leaf. Above the number and diagonally to its left, in the left corner of the first leaf, is written To TN Talfourd. A line is drawn under these words, and the words from Miss Mitford appear.

Mitford’s spelling and punctuation are retained, except where a word is split at the end of a line and the beginning of the next in the manuscript. Where Mitford’s spelling and hyphenation of words deviates from the standard, in order to facilitate searching we are using the TEI elements “choice," “sic," and “reg" to encode both Mitford’s spelling and the regular international standard of Oxford English spelling, following the first listed spelling in the Oxford English Dictionary. The long s and ligatured forms are not encoded.

 Repaired some xml:ids and corrected back-list entries, updated header, started this change-log. Proofed against ms.
To T N Talfourd from Miss Mitford2. Three Mile Cross April 19th 1821. My dear Sir

Your kind letter gave all the pleasure that your good nature could desire--It is a great comfort to know that my trifles have, some of them at least, a chance of being accepted, & it is no less a one that my Tragedy is not yet rejected. I enclose a good for nothing essay for Mr Colburn.Mitford mentions around this time in her Journal of 1819-1823 that she is working on an Essay on Letters, and an Essay on Thomas May, either of which might be what she is referring to here. The Essay on Thomas May was published as On the Comedies of Thomas May, New Monthly Magazine: NS 2, 1821 70. I have nearly finished another little Drama for Mr Baldwin--You will wonder at my loading you with so many of these slight Sketches, but I wish to accumulate a little stock of them that if a series should be inserted in the Magazine I may not be interrupted when I begin another Tragedy,The tragedy that Mitford subsequently began was Foscari. which I shall certainly do as soon as I hear that Fiesco is rejected. Was the last little Drama Mitford is likely referring to Emily. She records in her notebook on March 23, 1821 that she sent it to Talfourd on that date.too long? too artificial? Too like a play? I am afraid it was--& this Mitfordmay be referring to the dramatic sketch, Claudia's Dream. In her notebook, she refers to this sketch by name on April 3. She mentions beginning another sketch on April 12, and records finishing a sketch on April 21 , which indicates the rapid pace at which she was composing for magazines around this time. will not be much shorter. Nothing seems to me so difficult (writing prose always excepted) as to tell a story rapidly in dialogue that tries to be easy & natural.

You will find a copy of the SonnetThis is the sonnet Mitford wrote on Talfourd's pleading in court, written March 9, 1819, printed in the 1827 poems, sonnet #13, page 306: XIII. ON HEARING MR. TALFOURD PLEAD IN THE ASSIZE- HALL AT READING, ON HIS FIRST CIRCUIT, March 1821.which you desire so flatteringly. Short as it falls of its object I certainly never expected that you would send that sonnet to either Magazine--to have thought that would have shewn a want of knowledge of you equal to the Dear Doctor's enquiry respecting Judge Garrow's compliment.The anecdote is obscure, but Mitford may be referring to Judge William Garrow, a lawyer who made his name during the Treason Trials, who became a judge and later a Member of Parliament who helped shape the rules of evidence and the modern adversarial system.and besides I would not for the world make that which was a mere relief to my own feelings an object of barter--No! that sonnet shall never be printed for money--but would you dislike if sometime hence--not for a long while--it should slip, nobody knows how, into the London Magazine? If you should dislike it you must tell me so. If not I could send it to Mr Haydon who has often had the goodness to offer to perform any commission--It would be a nice little job for him--but not just now for he is very angry and with reason at the unprovoked attack that one of Mr Baldwin's writers has made on his character. I cannot imagine how anything so malicious could creep into so respectable a publication. It is difficult to tell with certainty which article Mitford may be referring to here. The long friendship between Benjamin Robert Haydon and Scott had become irreparably strained just before the latter's death in February 1821 in . Haydon felt that Scott had slighted his character on numerous occasions, and wrote feelingly to Mitford about it in March of that year. (See Benjamin Robert Haydon: Correspondence and Table Talk, Vol. II, pp. 69-71 and London Magazine Vol. III, January-June 1820 . I suppose its for want of an Editor,my dear Mr Editor-that- wont won't -be--shall you really have the courage & constancy to refuse£600 a year? I am afraid you are right--your prospects are in my mind well worth £6000--though if the limits could be managed there is Mr Jeffrey to prove that the characters of a great Editor & a great Lawyer are perfectly compatible. My Father desires me to say that he fears the Reading Town Sessions would be hardly worth attending. He went into Hampshire within half an hour after my receiving your kind letter & is not yet returned--but he will be back on Saturdaytime enough to take my packet to our unwearied friend Mr Monck--will make enquiry of Mr Annes Annesley & the Town Clerk as to the general business more especially as to any that is expected this Sessions, & will slide in a note if any should offer worth having--I wish with all my heart there may--& half of this wish is very selfish for then we shall have a chance of seeing you in our smoky cabin.

Two things in this neighbourhood annoy me very much. First & most Mr Dickinson--who having all his life amused himself with combating the received Theories of medicine especially what he calls the Sangrado system (which was all very well whilst his objections were confined to mere speculative harangues)--is now reducing reducing his principles to practice & with every symptom of approach-ing Apoplexy killing himself from sheer obstinacy-- chusing choosing rather to die of the blood which rushes to his head than to give up his opinion & live by the lancet. Is not this grievous in an old friend whom one loves so well? He has no right to take himself out of the world in this malicious way when people wish him to live--Has he? My other misfortune need not concern me the least in the world--The Duke of Wellington's sons are at home for the Eton holiday & they come every day to a little Alehouse next door to learn French of a Jew who lodges there purposely to teach them. "The poor little lads Ma'am"said my neighbour the landlord "are kept very strict--they never look up but their tutor corrects them--& there they sit in my parlour from eleven to half past four & never have a glass of anything." Without sympathising very deeply in the last & principal grief ennumerated by my friend of the tap room, I am quite indignant at the poor little boys being cheated of their holiday. Is it not abominable? a worse inequity than beating Napoleon--learning French poor little souls when they ought to be stealing birdsnests & playing cricket & doing mischief! The Battle of Waterloo was a joke to this wickedness. The only thing that looks like the holidays is their mode of conveyance which is generally five in a gig rain or shine.The rest of the letter is missing.

Francis Jeffrey Jeffrey Francis Sir Edinburgh, Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Advocate, judge, Member of Parliament, and founding editor of the Edinburgh Review, Jeffrey was an influential critic for many years in his role as editor and essayist. Martin Annesley Annesley Martin Mr. Esq. Reading mayor in 1784, 1794, and 1806. A friend of Richard Valpy, he was also a magistrate and local philanthropist. Sources: History and Antiquities of Reading; The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 92, Part 2, page 90; The Royal County of Berkshire History. Arthur Wellesley, Jr. Wellesley Arthur Brighton, Sussex, England Viscount Wellington Earl of Wellinton Second Duke of Wellington Marquess of Douro Member of Parliament for Aldeburgh Member of Parliament for Norwich Marylebone, London, England Elder son of the First Duke of Wellington, who succeeded his father to the dukedom, and became Member of Parliament for Aldeburgh, and later for Norwich. Source: History of Parliament Online. Charles Wellesley Wellesley Charles Major General Lord Member of Parliament for Hampshire Southern 1842-1852 Member of Parliament for Windsor 1852-1855 Second son of the first Duke of Wellington. He grew up to serve as Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshall to Queen Victoria, and later in Parliament. His elder and subsequently his second son succeeded his brother, Arthur Wellesley, jr., to the Wellington dukedom. Wellington French tutor No information about this individual. More research needed. Swan Inn landlord More research needed. In keeping with Mitford’s admitted practice in Our Village, this person is likely the model for the Rose Inn landlord. William Garrow Garrow William Judge Sir Member of Parliament Solicitor-General to the Prince of Wales 1812 to 1813 Attorney-General 1813 to 1817 puisne Baron of the court of the Exchequer Monken Hadley, Middlesex, England September 24, 1840 Ramsgate, Kent, England Barrister and judge who began his career as a prosecutor during the Treason Trials of 1794, and later who served a Member of Parliament for Gatton, Callington, and Eye. He is most known today for having shaped the modern adversarial system and the rules of evidence, particularly for defendants. Source: ODNB. Doctor Sangrado Sangrado Character from Alain Rene Le Sage's Gil Blas de Santillane whose medical system involves bleeding patients to death. Swan Inn 51.2936362 -1.1080922 Alehouse located next door to the Mitford residence in Three Mile Cross during this time. The establishment is featured in Our Village, but renamed The Rose Inn. Rose Inn An alehouse featured in Our Village, introduced in the first sketch of the series. It was modeled on the Swan Inn, the alehouse located near the Mitford household in Three Mile Cross. The History and Antiquities of the Town and Borough of Reading in Berkshire J. Doran, Esq. Samuel Reade Reading Hamilton, Adams, & Co. London 1835 Full text and page images available through Google Books. The History of Gil Blas of Santillane Alain-Rene Le Sage 1715-1735 This influential picaresque novel features a humbly-born title character who takes on different jobs that allow him to observe the different levels of society. He becomes involved with rogues, criminals, and quacks on his way to a quiet country retirement. Benjamin Robert Haydon: Correspondence and Table-Talk vol. 2 of 2. Mary Russell Mitford On the Comedies of Thomas May New Monthly Magazine NS 2 1821 70 Source: